§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total cost of all councillors' allowances claimed in return for council duties for the last year for which figures are available shown as a percentage of total local government expenditure in Scotland for the same year; and what are the corresponding percentages for 10 and 15 years earlier.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 6 July 1992]: Councillors' allowances were reviewed following the Widdecombe committee of inquiry and the new scheme was introduced in 1991. Current expenditure figures for those allowances which were subsequently replaced by the new scheme were collected for 1987–88. The total expenditure for that year was £4.5 million—0.13 per cent. of total local government expenditure for that year; this expenditure did not include allowances outwith the scope of the new scheme.
Corresponding figures are not available for earlier years as such information is not routinely collected.